During the past three decades numerous devices have been developed to house and nurture plants using artificial lighting. Fluorescent lights in particular provide the proper wave lengths in the light spectrum that are conducive to plant development and growth. These lamps allow plants to be propagated indoors without the need for a greenhouse. The artificial lighting produces stronger and more vigorous plants that are available weeks before direct planting outdoors is possible. This ultimately results in higher crop yields, especially in those areas where the growing season is short.
Some indoor plant arrangements use vertical space with several illuminated shelves for gardening flats. These arrays save floor space in a typical residential dwelling, but are inherently unstable owing to their relatively high center of gravity. These shelves can easily be tipped over, causing great damage to the plants as well as to the containers in which they are housed.
Some current plant housing designs are deficient in providing the plants with an optimum environment for development. They lack adjustments for controlling the height above the gardening flats at which the light source(s) can be situated. Insufficient light will reach these plants, and poor development will result. Still other arrangements are not large enough to accommodate common heating elements used to warm the growing medium. These types of arrays cause decreased seed germination rates and stunted root development.
The present invention features a multi-compartmentalized unit for propagating, nurturing and transporting plants, as well as storing associated gardening tools and apparatus. The unit comprises a wheeled storage chest that opens into two sub-units. The bottom sub-unit serves as a utility cart for storing gardening tools and for transporting plants and/or other associated materials. The top sub-unit uses braces and adjustable lengths of chain to suspend a plurality of artificial light sources at the proper height above a plurality of gardening flats. The entire unit may be conveniently and easily wheeled into a closet for long term storage.
The present invention represents a substantial improvement over previous garden propagating devices. The unit of this invention has integrated compartments having the dual purposes of propagating plants and storing garden tools. The unit is designed as a storage chest on wheels. It is large enough to accommodate many of the implements traditionally used by gardeners. The top and bottom halves of the unit fit together securely using four chest latches. This configuration will comfortably store at least three full-sized (four feet) twin bulb fluorescent light fixtures, or grow-lights. As aforementioned, these lights can be suspended above gardening flats containing plants or seeds to provide an acceptable source of artificial light.
In addition, the unit will store a medium-sized propagation mat (22 inches.times.44 inches) and thermostat control. This control is used to warm the growing medium in one to four standard-sized, plastic gardening flats that are approximately 11 inches.times.22 inches. The entire apparatus necessary for suspending the grow-lights above the gardening flats is stored in the unit.